Eragon: chapter 7
The bath succeeded in relaxing his body but not his mind. All Eragon's thoughts were spinning around Saphira. It was almost impossible to believe what he'd just heard.
I think I still need some time, he thought as he put on the new clothes the elves had provided for him.
His thoughts spun around the fact that Saphira had been here alone for so long. Last week had been like an eternity for him. Imaging her having to be without half of her soul for 65 years made his own heart ache, and made his legs weak. He wasn't sure if he would endure being away from her much longer. But Saphira had dealt with the pain for far longer.
She always had been strong. The strongest being he had ever known. But no matter how strong she was, he knew their separation must have been hard for her.
He hoped that it wasn't too late. If she had been living all these years without him, was it possible she didn't need him anymore?
He quickly waved off this thought. Of course she would want to be with him. They were two halves of one soul.
He was extremely pleased that he finally found his way back to her, but Galbatorix's final words sounded in his head.
For what you have done, you won't see your friends, nor your dragon again, Shadeslayer! Never again!
He squeezed his hands together.
I will, and not time, nor any of yours spells will prevent me from returning to her.
"Mister Anurin? Mithrandir sent me to escort you to the council," came a voice from behind the doors.
Anurin? Did Gandalf hide his true identity from the elves?
"Coming," he said, after hiding Aren under his sleeve.
There stood a tall elf with long brown hair. Eragon examined him for a few moments, realizing that the elves here were closer physically to himself than the elves in Alagaesia. This was largely because their faces looked far more human than what he thought of as elven.
The elf bowed slightly to Eragon and motioned for him to follow.
They walked quickly through the elves' city and he started feeling more comfortable because now he looked similar to the other elves who lived here. Instead of staring, they merely greeted him with shorts bows.
In the openings between houses, far in the east, he noticed a huge mountain range with snowy, white caps.
These must be the Misty Mountains Gandalf had mentioned, thought Eragon, feeling strange knowing that somewhere out there was Saphira, flying and not even suspecting that he was here, searching for her.
They walked out of one of the houses and he heard a familiar voice. There stood Frodo, talking with Gandalf and another, older hobbit. They noticed him and hushed.
"You've arrived quickly," said the wizard to Eragon and turned to the elf. "Thank you for bringing him here."
The elf bowed and left them.
"He is the one you mentioned?" the older hobbit asked, looking curiously at Eragon.
"Yes, he is the Eragon that Saphira was looking for," Gandalf said unpleasantly. "I wasn't going to tell anyone about you, but Frodo was faster than I was."
"You wanted to hide such a thing from me?!" the old hobbit hissed, disbelievingly. "Shame on you, wizard."
Then the hobbit turned to Eragon.
"Don't worry; your secret is safe with us. I always was curious to meet with you. Oh, where are my manners? My name is Bilbo Baggins, this young hobbit's uncle and a good friend to Saphira," he said, holding a hand out to Eragon.
"Saphira's friends are my friends. Nice to meet you," he said smiling as he took the outstretched hand.
"I hope you won't object to a conversation with me and some tea. I have many questions for you," Bilbo asked.
"You could do whatever you would like to later, but now we have to go to council," Gandalf said impatiently.
"Yes, yes," Bilbo said dismissively and winked to Eragon.
The wizard turned and the three of them walked after him. Frodo walked next to Eragon.
"I feel like a fool that all the time I was traveling with you I didn't suspect who you really are."
"I owe you an apology, don't I?" Eragon said, sheepishly.
"No," said the hobbit. "I was holding my own secrets as well; just that it would have made things easier on you."
"Indeed," he sighed, dreaming how different everything would be if then he had said his true name earlier.
After a while, a thought struck him.
"You have met her also?" he asked Frodo.
"Yes. She sometimes visits Bilbo. I love to watch their riddling games."
It was one more thing he remembered very well about her. He couldn't stop a smile from appearing on his face.
"She is quite good at them."
"More than good! I thought that Bilbo was unbeatable until I first saw their match. Creating riddles for their games is a most exciting activity for my uncle."
"I'm glad to hear it," he said while thinking about how it was good that she had found friends here.
At that time they entered a large, round hall. Several members of the council were already seated. Eragon looked over them and saw that most of them were elves, but there were a few humans and a couple dwarves as well. They were sitting around the hall in a circle. In the middle was stony, solid, round table.
They seemed to be speaking about something very sensitive.
"Sorry, but I had to do some important things," Gandalf said excusing them.
"As always, Mithrandir. Sit down friends," said Elrond and pointed to the empty chairs.
Frodo and Bilbo sat near Elrond. On Eragon's left side sat Gandalf and on the other was a grizzled dwarf. Eragon carefully looked at him, but unlike the elves he saw very few difference from the dwarves he already knew. After a moment, he focused his attention to what the others were talking about.
Everyone was speaking about how they were living and what problems they had. Not knowing the names that were being used, Eragon was thoroughly confused. Still, it seemed that almost everyone was feeling threatened from the East.
At first he tried to listen to all their reports, rumors and complaints but soon his mind returned to Saphira. He wondered how far she already was from this place. He was brought back to the council by the rough voice of the dwarf sitting near him.
"Last summer, an envoy came to Erebor from Mordor! He appeared in the night and called out our king, saying that Sauron the Great wanted to make an alliance with the dwarves and will return the remaining rings, if we revealed something about the hobbits. 'Sauron knows that you once met a hobbit,' said the envoy."
The Dwarf coughed twice before continuing.
"It confused our king and he gave no answer. So, the Envoy spoke further, 'I hope for sake of our relationship you will fulfill this small task, and will find that scurvy thief,' he exactly said these words, 'And will succeed in taking from him a small ring, the most insignificant of all rings. Sauron doesn't even need it, he just wants to be sure of your friendship. Find him and the three remaining dwarves' rings will be returned for you. If you aren't be able to overcome this thief, just inform me of where he is living and you will attain great reward and eternal friendship of lord Sauron."
Even for Eragon, who had only been here for a short time, the offer sounded suspicious.
"We didn't know how to answer to him. We knew that behind Sauron's offer there is deception, but we also couldn't deny Mordor's rising power. And then Saphira arrived…"
Eragon flinched after hearing his dragoness' name and now was attentively listening to every word the dwarf spoke.
"She asked his purpose in being there. The envoy lost his confidence at once and began speaking in a low tone like a beaten dog. After he repeated his tale, she kicked out him with the words, 'If you or one of his toady creatures show up here again, I will make sure that it is their last action!"
Eragon smiled softly, thinking that it sounded like Saphira.
"I would think that the messenger would've responded, but he didn't risk it, and rode away as fast as he could. Since then, we haven't seen him anymore, nor any other rider from Mordor."
The dwarf sighed.
"Perhaps it was the right way to solve it, but we are worried. Enemies are gathering in Dol Guldur and their numbers are growing everyday. When Saphira is here, they likely won't attack us. But the enemy has many spies and he will know when she is not here. I imagine that is why the envoy appeared in Erebor when she wasn't there."
It seemed that the enemy was quite afraid of Saphira. It made Eragon to feel a little proud of her. She was a mighty and powerful being after all.
After his speech, the other dwarf spoke.
"We also had a messenger from Mordor in Moria, and a gift from the same Saphira Brightscales…"
Eragon leaned to Gandalf and said quietly, "What did she give them as a present?"
The dwarf sitting near them seemed to hear Eragon's words.
"Didn't you hear how Saphira Brightscales defeated the Balrog, the Durin's Bane?" he asked in disbelief. "There are many great songs about their battle in Khazad Dum's tunnels and halls; you should have heard some of them."
It might've been wiser to say that he had heard some of the songs, but Eragon's curiosity came over him, and he shook his head.
"Well, I can sing some of them now," the Dwarf said, proudly clearing his throat.
"Maybe later," interrupted Elrond. "We have many things to discuss today."
Eragon almost couldn't stop himself from groaning aloud.
"Very well. But you must listen to them one day. What is your name lad?" asked the dwarf.
"His name is Anurin, he is from my order," Gandalf answered quickly.
"Then you should inform your order's friend what happened there. All the more because you were there when it happened."
"Don't worry, Gloin, I shall," he said and smiled at Eragon.
"At least I can say that after she defeated this Balrog," he said creature's name as a curse. "She gave Moria to all dwarves, in gratitude for helping her. It was a gift the dwarves never forgot. Let Durin protect her!"
Eragon was ready to ask what dwarves had helped her, but suddenly saw everyone looking at the entrance. He followed their eyes and saw Aragorn standing there. His eyes were those of a man who hasn't slept for some days, and it seemed that he hadn't changed his clothes after his journey.
"Please forgive me milords, I was delayed," he said looking around the hall. His eyes stopped at Eragon, then he looked questioningly at Gandalf, before the wizard merely nodded. He sat down in a chair and looked hard at Eragon.
Eragon tried to ignore his glare and focus on Elrond, who now was standing. After few a moments he spoke in a calm and wrathful voice.
"Saphira did well in sending him away, not letting fear overcome your choices, because that is the only way to handle this threat. Fight! Fight even when there isn't a hope of victory. But the dwarves won't be alone, because all of Middle Earth has but one enemy. But the main reason why you are here is to decide what we have to do with this ring, which Sauron wants so much. But first…" he paused. "We will reveal the ring's secrets, which are currently known by very few. I will begin and others will finish."
Eragon settled down more comfortably, happy to have an explanation.
Maybe I will even hear something more of Saphira.
"So everything begins about five thousand years ago…" he stopped because Eragon choked and began coughing.
Everyone was looking at him while he tried to stop it. After a while he calmed and managed to speak.
"S…sorry, please… continue."
Elrond waited until he completely finished, though he still watched him with narrowed eyes.
Well, this gonna be really long, thought Eragon and focused again on Elrond's narration.
Elrond started by explaining how rings were made, and how the elves grasped Sauron's deception and hid their rings. Eragon had already heard about it but now he enjoyed it through a more continuous and clear narration than the one he'd gotten from Aragorn.
Later Elrond told the group about many wars between elves and the dark Lord, many victories and defeats and the last alliance between men and elves.
"I was there, in the battle of Dagorlad near the gates of Mordor. That day everything could have ended, until Isildur kept the ring of power. I and Cirdan tried to warn him, but he didn't listen to us.
"You were there?" asked Frodo, surprised. "But… I thought it was a very long time ago."
"It was three thousand years ago, yes. But I even remember the old times. I saw all three of Middle-Earth's ages."
Three thousand years? thought Eragon, surprised.
Even Rhunon wasn't that old, and she was one of the oldest elves in Alagaesia. He now saw Elrond in a different light, thinking about how much he'd experienced in all these years.
"That day evil should have been destroyed, but fate decided otherwise. Later Isildur died because of the ring. Afterwards, the ring was called Isildur's Bane."
In the few next hours he also explained what happened after Sauron was overthrown and Middle-earth enjoyed an age of peace, for a short time. The sun was going down step-by-step, when he spoke again.
"So, the ring was lost in the Gladden Fields and everyone thought that it would be forever, but now we can say that it was found. Bilbo," he said to the older hobbit. "Please continue with your narration."
"Okay, I will. But if someone heard another version of this story before," he said, looking at the dwarf sitting near Eragon, then shortly at Eragon himself. "Please forgive me and listen now, because I will tell the correct story."
He started his story, from when the wizard came to his house and offered him a chance to join in an adventure with a group of dwarves who planned to return to their kingdom. Eragon was relieved to see that he wasn't the only one who hadn't heard Bilbo's story before. Many of those present were watching with more attention then they had when Elrond had spoken.
This dwarves' plan seemed a little suicidal to him. He wondered what they were going to do with a giant dragon as their enemy. He froze after hearing how the hobbit and dwarves were saved from three trolls by a blue dragon, his Saphira. He looked confused at Gandalf, and the wizard nodded.
"Excuse me for interrupting you, but can you tell how many years ago this happened?" asked Eragon.
Bilbo answered.
"Of course. Sixty-five if I am not mistaken."
It seemed that Gandalf hadn't lied. He nodded, showing that he was ready to listen further.
He listened to the hobbit with renewed intensity after hearing how Saphira had been wounded. He failed to notice that his fists clenched and Aren began to glow. He felt rage rising in his body and Aren's energy flowing through his hand. He was about to give into it, but then he felt someone's hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Gandalf sadly smiling to him. His rage disappeared at once.
"Is everything alright?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, I guess," he said and once again focused on the story.
When the hobbit finished his narration, Eragon was too shocked to speak.
"Thank you, my friend. Until now we have enough to know that the ring went to Frodo. Let's listen to his story now."
Only now, Eragon noticed how his body was strained and sweaty. Frodo began telling his adventure, but Eragon didn't hear a word of it. With trembling legs, he stood up and, after quietly excusing himself, walked out of the hall. When he was out of the sight, he leaned against a wooden column. He stood like that, letting himself process what he'd just heard and tried to calm down when heard something softly saying his name.
"Eragon?"
He turned and saw Gandalf standing a little further back and looking worried at him.
"Is everything alright?"
Eragon tried to smile but only managed to achieve a sad grin.
"I don't know..."
"Want to talk?"
Eragon nodded.
Gandalf walked to a nearby blue bench and sat down inviting Eragon to do the same. He accepted the request and sat down wondering what he could say or ask. After he finally understood what was going on, things still weren't any easier on him. After he failed to speak for a long moment, Gandalf spoke.
"So what does not give you peace of mind?"
"Everything."
"That is not an answer."
Eragon sighed.
"It is just… hard to accept what happened. I never thought that it would happen or even that it was possible," he felt a lump rising in his throat. "Thoughts about her being here, alone all this time… I can only assume how she was feeling… I don't know if I ever could forgive myself or atone for it."
"I know that it is hard for you," said Gandalf. "But for her it was even harder."
He placed his hand on Eragon's shoulder.
"You must be strong for her and do everything you can for her. Only then will you find peace."
"I… I will try."
Gandalf warmly smiled to him.
"I know you will. You both are very strong, stronger than you think. Only a few would endure what you both have. You will meet again. I promised it to her already and now I promise it to you. Soon you will be together again, my heart is sure of it."
He stood up and held out his hand to Eragon.
"Besides, I've already sent an envoy to Erebor. He will reach it in a week or less. I regret that I won't see her expression when she hears about you. I think she will fly day and night to see you."
Eragon couldn't help but smile from the thought of seeing her again.
"Now let's return to the council. There are many things you will want to hear."
Eragon took his hand, stood up and they walked back. After sitting down, he focused on Frodo's narration, realizing that now he was speaking about the events in Amon Sul. Eragon also noticed that he hadn't mentioned "Anurin" in his story. Gandalf was really trying to ensure that no one would find out about him.
Frodo finished his story with his arrival here alone with Arwen's horse. Even if Eragon was supposed to feel irritated that his deeds weren't mentioned he didn't. He didn't want any unnecessary attention.
After a pause one elf spoke.
"Impressive telling, but according to it, the Ring is here between us?"
"Yes my friend," said Gandalf. "Frodo, show us."
Frodo did as he said, placing the Ring on the stone desk in the middle of the hall. After it was placed everyone hushed, looking straight to it. It seemed that they were dragged into some kind of trance. Whatever Ring was doing, it didn't affect Eragon. He merely felt how Aren's energy was raising again. After few moments everyone seemed to snap out of it and returned to acting normally.
"The wise may have good reason to believe that the halfling's trove is indeed the great ring of legend, unlikely though that may seem to those who know less. But may we not hear the proof? And I would ask this also. What of Saruman? He is learned in the lore of the rings, yet he is not among us. What is his counsel if he knows the things that we have heard?" said the same elf.
"The questions that you ask, Galdor, are bound together, and I promise that I will answer them all."
Gandalf cleared his throat before talking further.
"Gloin's tidings and the pursuit of Frodo are proof enough that this ring has a great worth to the enemy. Yet it is a ring. What then? The nine the Nazgûl keep. The seven were taken or destroyed. The three we know of. What then is this one that he desires so much?"
"There is indeed a wide waste of time between the loss and the finding. But the gap in the knowledge of the wise has been filled at last, although too slowly; for the enemy has been close behind, closer than I feared. And it was not until this year, this very summer, as it seems, did he learn the full truth."
"Some here will remember that many years ago I, with Saphira's and the white council's help, dared to pass the doors of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur and it became clear that it was Sauron himself. We succeeded in driving him out from there."
"But we were too late. Sauron had watched us, and had long prepared against our stroke, governing Mordor from afar through Minas Morgul, where his nine servants dwelt, until all was ready. Then he gave way before us, pretending to flee, and soon after came to the dark tower and openly declared himself. Then the council met; for we learned that he was seeking ever more eagerly for the one ring. We feared then that he had some news of it that we did not have. But Saruman objected to it, and repeated what he had said to us before: that the one would never again be found in Middle-Earth. This was my first mistake. Saruman's words lulled me into a state of security we did not have."
"From the first my heart misled me, against all reason," said Gandalf, "and I desired to know how this thing came to Gollum, and how long he had possessed it. So I set a watch for him, guessing that he would come forth from his darkness to seek for his treasure. He came, but he escaped and was not found. And then, alas, I let the matter rest, watching and waiting only, as we have too often done."
"Time passed, until my doubts were awakened again with a sudden fear. Where did the hobbit's ring come from? What, if my fear was true, should be done with it? These things I needed to decide. But I spoke yet of my dread to no one, knowing the peril of an untimely whisper, if it went astray. In all the long wars with the dark tower, treason has ever been our greatest foe."
"That was seventeen years ago. Soon, I became aware that spies of many sorts, even beasts and birds, were gathered round the Shire, and my fear grew. I called for the help of the Dunedain, and their watch was doubled, then I told my concerns to Aragorn, the heir of Isildur."
"You are the heir of Isildur?" asked a surprised man who until then had been silent.
"My father was Arathorn, and his father was Arador. Even if our line is distant, I am a direct descendant of him," said Aragorn softly.
Eragon looked at the man sitting across from him. His posture and energy truly seemed royal, even if his appearance and weariness concealed it well.
"If anyone doesn't know this man, his name is Faramir. He came here from Gondor as its spokesman," presented Elrond. He then turned to Faramir. "We thought your brother, Boromir, would come. Where is he?"
"A few days after Saphira left Osgiliath, the enemy started to attack us anew. The situation now is very fragile and our father, Denethor, decided to send me instead of my brother."
Elrond nodded and motioned for Aragorn to continue.
"And I," said Aragorn, "counselled that we should hunt for Gollum. Though it seems that we were too late. And since it seemed fitting that Isildur's heir should labour to repair Isildur's fault, I went with Gandalf and Saphira on the long and hopeless search. We explored the whole length of Wilderland down even to the Mountains of Shadow and the fences of Mordor, but even with Saphira's help we couldn't find him."
So that is how he knows Saphira, thought Eragon.
"After I lost hope of finding him I remembered Saruman's words: The nine, the seven, and the three, each had their proper gem. Not so with the one. It was round and unadorned, as if it was one of the lesser rings; but its maker set marks upon it that the skilled could still see and read."
Then Gandalf explained that he left Aragorn and Saphira and travelled to Minas Tirith to seek answers and how he found out the way to make sure that this is the one.
"After I found proof that the hobbit's ring was the one ring, I took my leave. But even as I went northwards, messages came to me out of Lórien that Aragorn and Saphira had passed that way, and that they had found the creature called Gollum. I went first to meet him and hear his tale." Aragorn said.
"We found him after we decided to travel back. We caught him in the middle of the Dead Marshes. It took a lot of effort to catch him. He was bucking and biting, still now I wear marks from his teeth. He calmed only when Saphira threatened to burn him. Fire is likely one of the few fears known to him. Our journey to Lorien didn't pass without incidents. He even jumped from Saphira when we were over the clouds. Saphira wanted to let him fall down, but I convinced her to do otherwise. Then we finally left him with the elves, we were both happy to leave him."
After Aragorn seemed to finish his telling, Gandalf again spoke.
"You merely needed to travel with him, but I was forced to extort some answers from him, and my friends it wasn't easy, but not without profit. For one thing, the tale he told of his loss proved that which Bilbo has now told us; but that mattered little, since it was what we'd already assumed. But I learned then that Gollum's ring came out of the Great River near the Gladden Fields. And I learned also that he had possessed it for many, many years: many lives for his kind. The power of the ring had lengthened his years far beyond their span; but that is a power only the great rings wield. And if that is not proof enough, Galdor, there is the other test that I spoke of. Upon this very ring which you have here seen held aloft, round and unadorned, the letters that Isildur reported may still be read, if one has the strength of will to set the golden thing in the fire a while. That I have done, and this I have read:
Ash nazg durbatulûk,
ash nazg gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk
agh burzum-ishi krimpatul
The change in the wizard's voice was astounding. Suddenly it became menacing and powerful. Even Eragon shook from it.
"Never before has any voice dared to utter the words of that tongue in Imladris, Gandalf the Grey," said Elrond, as the shadow passed and the company breathed once more.
"And let us hope that none will ever speak it here again," answered Gandalf. "Nonetheless I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond. And now I will answer Galdor's other questions. What of Saruman? What are his counsels to us in this hour of need? You will know it when I will finish my story."
"After then I was sure that it was the One, I went to seek advice from Saruman the White, but his mind was already corrupted by thoughts of having the One. First he offered for me to join him, promising infinite power, but after I refused he imprisoned me and set me alone on the pinnacle of Orthanc, in the place where Saruman was accustomed to watch the stars. From him I also found out that the nine left Mordor and were coming to the Shire. Long there were my days and nights. My thoughts were with the hobbits, chased by black riders. Lucky for me Saphira was surmising Saruman's treachery and after I didn't return for some time she understood what had happened and saved me from Orthanc. We were far away when Saruman noticed I escaped."
"So Saruman really betrayed us?" said another man.
Eragon noticed a white horse symbol adorned the man's tunic.
"I am not saying that I am surprised," said the man. "Thanks to Saphira, I mean. But it's hard to believe that it happened for real. If Gandalf won't mind, I can tell my story."
Eragon looked at Gandalf hopefully. He sighed and nodded.
"But don't last for long, Eomer; it is already midnight and we have to decide what our actions will be."
Eragon lifted his head up and was surprised after noticing the moon, shining in the middle of the sky.
"Don't be afraid, I won't. Five years ago Saphira visited our King Theoden with a warning about Saruman, saying that his eye was turned to Rohan. Theoden trusted her, but then Saruman hadn't showed his true face yet and had gotten along well with us by giving our king advice. For a few years we forgot her warning, but three years ago, a big bands of wildlings came from the mountains. They were burning and killing everything in their way. We succeeded in defeating them in the battle near the Gap of Rohan," Eomer's face darkened. "In this battle we lost many good men. We captured a few of them, but they bit off their tongues to not say anything to us, save for one. He told us that it was Saruman who convinced them to attack Rohan and take back their lands and gave weapons to them."
"We probably would have thought that he was a liar, but then we remembered Saphira's words. We sent scouts to Isengard, and they reported that there was a gathering of evil creatures, such like orcs and wargs. It was enough evidence for our king. He called Saphira, and asked her forgiveness and advice what he should do, because the future looked dark to us. In the East there was Dol Guldur, where eternal evil lies. Then after one of our allies turned their back to us our situation looked desperate. But she said to not lose hope and prepare for war and that it was still not too late. We started strengthening our strongholds and mustering new rohirims. With pride I can say that there are eight thousand experienced riders prepared for war."
"That is great news!" shouted Faramir. "But it is strange that we didn't heard a word about such mobiliazation in Rohan."
"Yes, indeed. Why has nobody heard about it? Even I didn't know about it. Saphira could have told me about it," said Gandalf.
"From your telling I can assume that she warned you about him, but neither you nor the elves believed her. Saphira wanted to hide that we knew about Saruman's plans. And now I can see that it was good that we prepared as we did."
"Then this changes many things!" shouted Gandalf. "With the united armies of Rohan and dwarves Isengard don't have a chance!"
"Dwarves?" asked Eomer in surprise.
"Yes. Both Rohan and the dwarves would be willing to march alongside Saphira."
"When you were saying that Saphira is important figure in this war, you forgot to mention that she is the one you need to thank for that fact that you still have a hope to win this war," Eragon whispered to Gandalf.
"Yes, I did," said Gandalf still a little astonished at what he just heard.
"Our future now doesn't look so dark, thanks to Saphira," said Elrond. "Can Gandalf continue his account?"
"I said everything I wanted," said Eomer.
"Where had I stopped… oh yes. Saphira saved me, again. We never flew so fast as we did that night. We didn't know if Frodo succeeded in escaping from the Nazgul," he looked to Eragon. "But miracle saved us from disaster. First we flew to Hobbiton and the Gaffer told us that Frodo and Sam left Bag End one week ago, as we had agreed before I left for Isengard. We were searching for them through the Shire, but we didn't succeed in finding them, until one afternoon we saw giant light flash. We reached that place and found only four hobbits footsteps and ones made by a black rider. We hoped that it wasn't too late and we were going to go after them, but then we were attacked by eight Nazguls, where the other one was we didn't know."
"We managed to repel them. Likely they thought that we had the ring, because we could sense them tracking us, so we decided to lure them away from Frodo as far as we could. But soon they realized our plan and turned back. The next day we reached Bree and the innkeeper said that you already left in the early morning with a man called Strider. That brought us some relief. After three days of intense searching we took a night's rest near Bree. But our rest didn't last long. They ambushed us in the middle of the night, when the moon wasn't shining and when they are the strongest. We almost burned half of the forest and we both were wounded, but once again we won."
Eragon felt sick again from thought how close they were all this time.
"I was wondering why we didn't see any of them in past days, now I know it was you both who ensured our safe road," said Aragorn.
"We were thinking the same, but next day we couldn't find not you, thanks to Aragorn's skills, nor did the Nazguls and we decided that now everything depended on Aragorn. It was more important to ensure the further road of the ring. So Saphira left me in Rivendell and flew herself to Erebor. That is the ring's story, from beginning to now."
"In saying the further road of the Ring, you mean what?" asked Eomer.
"I meant Mordor."
There was silence for some time, then Faramir spoke.
"But why? It is probably the worst place to hide the Ring."
"Nobody spoke about hiding. The ring must be destroyed and it can be done only in the mountain where it was made."
"But it would be suicide. There are no army which could break the Black Gates," argued Faramir.
"We don't need an army. We need for one person to bring the ring there in secret. All we need to decide is who will be the one who will do it."
There were silence for a while, everyone was looking at their feet, as if searching for something.
Great, thought Eragon.
"What if I just bring it there?" Eragon whispered to Gandalf.
He was used to being the one at the forefront of such things, but the wizard shook his head.
"One person can't keep two rings, especially such a strong one, you would die if you would do it."
Eragon nodded, but it still didn't solve their problem.
After a few long minutes, Eragon looked up in surprise as Frodo stood up and quietly said, "I will bring it. Just… I don't know the way."
There was a long pause from all at the council at the hobbit's words. Finally, Gandalf stood.
"I will help you to find the path, Frodo," said Gandalf as he walked towards the hobbit.
"What does Saphira think about this plan, Gandalf?" asked dwarf sitting behind Gloin.
"To be honest it was her plan, Gimli."
"Then," said dwarf. "It will be a honor to accompany you, mister Frodo. My axe is at your service!"
"And my bow!" said an elf Eragon didn't know.
"I led you here and I will lead you to the end. My sword is yours," said Aragorn.
"Well Gondor won't turn it's back. You have my assistance," said Faramir.
"Like Rohan. My sword is yours also!" said Eomer.
"Wait!" they heard a voice behind the bushes and then saw Sam running in their direction.
"Frodo won't go anywhere without me!" he yelled after breathing heavily.
"No indeed!" said Elrond, turning towards him with a smile. "It is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."
The hobbit smiled innocently, which made Eragon laugh.
Eragon waited a few more moments making sure that no one else was joining and then stood up.
"I think it is destiny to us to travel together," Eragon said to Frodo. "I will follow you, wherever the road leads. Even if it is Mordor. You have my word."
Saphira, I coming to you.